374 ^/'c Philippine Journal of Science 1919 



This species is very similar in appearance to Elatosteyiia fili- 

 caule C. B. Rob., from which it is easily distinguished by its 

 hirsute stems and the hirsute midrib and nerves on the lower 

 surface of the leaves. 



ELATOSTEMA 2AMB0ANGENSE sp. nov. 



Herba erecta, ramis et petiolis et pedunculis dense pallide 

 pubescentibus ; f oliis plerumque oblongo-ovatis, 7 ad 13 cm longis, 

 in siccitate viridibus, chartaceis ad subcoriaceis, valde inaequi- 

 lateralibus, utrinque cystolithis numerosis perspicuis instructis, 

 apice acuminatis, margine sursum grosse dentatis; receptaculis 

 $ axillaribus, solitariis, pedunculatis, 1 ad 1.5 cm diametro, pe- 

 dunculo usque ad 2 cm longo, bracteis exterioribus pubescentibus, 

 late rotundatis, bracteolis sepalisque glabris. 



An erect, simple herb, attaining a height of 35 cm, the stems, 

 very short petioles, and peduncles rather densely pubescent with 

 short, somewhat appressed, pale hairs. Leaves variable, green 

 when dry, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, very inequilateral, mostly 

 oblong-ovate, 7 to 13 cm long, 3 to 5.5 cm wide, both surfaces 

 with very short, numerous, irregularly disposed, elongated cys- 

 toliths, distinctly visible to the naked eye, the apex somewhat 

 acuminate, base broadly rounded on one side, narrowly rounded 

 on the other and laterally cordate, margins entire near the base, 

 rather coarsely toothed above, the teeth broadly triangular; lat- 

 eral nei'ves above the basal ones 3 or 4 on each side of the 

 midrib, very prominent on the lower surface, the reticulations 

 lax, prominent; stipules linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 1 to 1.2 cm 

 long. Staminate receptacles axillary, solitary, 1 to 1.5 cm in 

 diameter, their peduncles up to 2 cm long; outer bracts pubes- 

 cent, apparently reniform and more or less grown together, 

 broadly rounded, about 1 cm wide, somewhat pubescent externally 

 and with numerous, very densely disposed cystoliths; bracteoles 

 narrowly oblong, membranaceous, 4 mm long, glabrous. Stami- 

 nate flowers very numerous, their pedicels 3 to 4 mm long, gla- 

 brous. Sepals 4, membranaceous, glabrous, oblong, two of them 

 distinctly cucullate and more or less corniculate, 2 to 2.5 mm long. 



Mindanao, Zamboanga District, Sax River, back of San 

 Ramon, Merrill 8228, November 27, 1911, in a damp, shaded 

 ravine, altitude about 200 meters. 



Among the Philippine species with peduncled staminate re- 

 ceptacles this species is apparently most closely allied to Elatos- 

 tcma carinoi W. R. Shaw, but is readily distinguished by its 

 pubescent stems and its much elongated pubescent peduncles. 



